Geranium plant named &#39;Fisromag&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of geranium plant named ‘Fisromag’, as described and illustrated, and particularly characterized by the combined features of purple-red, semi-double flowers, medium sized inflorescences, medium green foliage with weak zonation, and relatively compact, low medium sized

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofgeranium, botanically known as Pelargonium zonale, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Fisromag’.

[0002] ‘Fisromag’ is a product of a planned breeding program which hadthe objective of creating new geranium varieties with magenta to purpleflower color, medium green foliage in combination with medium to tallplant habit.

[0003] ‘Fisromag’ originated from a hybridization made by the inventor,Angelika Utecht in a controlled breeding program in Galdar, GranCanaria, Spain, in 1996. The female parent was a hybrid seedling, no.K94-1960-1, having purple-pink, single-type flowers, largeinflorescences, dark-green foliage, with only very weak zonation, andmedium sized, but somewhat open and irregular plant habit. The maleparent of ‘Fisromag’ was the patented variety ‘HWD Violetta’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 9,748) which is characterized by red-purple, semi-doubleflowers, medium green foliage with slight zonation, and medium sizedplant habit.

[0004] ‘Fisromag’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progenyof the stated cross by Angelika Utecht in 1997 in a controlledenvironment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain. The first act of asexualreproduction of ‘Fisromag’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttingswere taken from the initial selection in the fall of 1997, in acontrolled environment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain, by, or under thesupervision of, Angelika Utecht.

[0005] Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of theplant initiated in May 1998, in Hillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany,and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination ofcharacteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Fisromag’ are firmly fixed andare retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. Thenew cultivar reproduces true to type.

[0006] ‘Fisromag’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length. Thefollowing observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Hillscheid, Germany, and in Langley, British Columbia, Canada,under greenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used incommercial practice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The following traits have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be basic characteristics of ‘Fisromag’ in combinationdistinguish this geranium as a new and distinct cultivar:

[0008] 1. round, red-purple colored flowers;

[0009] 2. medium sized, semi-spherically shaped inflorescences;

[0010] 3. medium green, relatively large leaves with weak zonation;

[0011] 4. moderately compact growth, medium sized, but relatively lowplant habit; and

[0012] 5. mid season spring flowering response.

[0013] Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor,the most similar in comparison to ‘Fisromag’ are the varieties ‘Fisdino’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,761), ‘Fispurple’ (U.S. Plant patent applicationSer. No. 09/631,974), the parental cultivar ‘HWD Violetta’, and therelated, co-pending cultivar ‘Fisroyal. In comparison to ‘Fisdino’,‘Fisromag’ has slightly less bluish hue of general flower color, moreround shaped flowers, less distinct markings on petals, and generallymuch more compact plant habit.

[0014] In contrast to ‘Fispurple’, ‘Fisromag’ has a small red macules onupper petals, and is not early flowering, but in the medium range.Furthermore, ‘Fisromag’ has larger leaves, and somewhat more vigorousgrowth.

[0015] In comparison to ‘HWD Violetta’, ‘Fisromag’ has small red eyes onupper petals, which lack with ‘HWD Violetta’, and somewhat less compactplant habit.

[0016] In comparison to ‘Fisroyal’, ‘Fisromag’ has a more bluish shadeof flower color, somewhat less distinct markings on petals, but somewhatstronger zonation on leaves, and somewhat more compact and lower planthabit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0017] The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower andfoliage characteristics of ‘Fisromag’ with colors being as true aspossible with an illustration of this type. The drawing shows aflowering pot plant in 14 cm container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0018] The measurements were taken in Langley in early July, 2001, 18weeks after planting of rooted cuttings. The plants were growing in 8inch containers, they had not been pinched. In the following descriptioncolor references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (RHS). The color values were determined indoors from floweringplants growing in a greenhouse in May 2001, in Hillscheid, Germany.

[0019] Classification:

[0020]Botanical.—A hybrid of the species Pelargonium zonale L'Hérit.

[0021] Inflorescence:

[0022]Type.—Umbel.

[0023]Shape.—Semi-spherical.

[0024]Average diameter.—122 mm.

[0025]Average depth.—mm.

[0026]Peduncle length.—188 mm.

[0027]Peduncle color.—Light green, RHS 144 A, no anthocyanin.

[0028]Pedicel.—Length 25.6 mm.

[0029]Pedicel color.—Base light green, RHS 144 B, main part brownish,from RHS 179Ato 184A.

[0030]Number of flowers per umbel.—About 25.

[0031] Corolla:

[0032]Average diameter.—47 mm.

[0033]Form.—Semi-double.

[0034]Shape.—Round, cup-shaped.

[0035]Number of petals.—7.0.

[0036]Number of petaloids.—1-2, narrow, same color as the petals.

[0037]Shape of petals.—Obovate, base attenuate, upper end margin ismainly entire at apex slight serrulation may occur.

[0038]Size of petals.—Upper petals: length 24-26 mm; width 20-22 mmLower petals.—length 23-25 mm; width 23-25 mm.

[0039]Color (general tonality from a distance of threemeters).—Magenta/bluish red.

[0040]Color of upper petals.—Between RHS 57 A and 57 B.

[0041]Markings of upper petals.—Weak red macules, RHS 46B, andsalmon-pink base, about RHS 47 C.

[0042]Color of lower petals.—RHS 57 B.

[0043]Markings of lower petals.—Very small dots, almost invisible,purple-red, RHS 57 A.

[0044]Color of lower surface of petals.—Upper petals RHS 52 A, lowerpetals RHS 57 C.

[0045]Color of sepals.—Outer surface light green, RHS 143 B, near baseRHS 184 A; inner surface light green, RHS 143 C, near base RHS 181 A.

[0046]Number of sepals.—5.

[0047]Shape of sepals.—Linear to lanceolate, acute tip, truncate base,surface with very short pubescence, margin entire.

[0048]Size of sepals.—10-11 mm long, 4 mm wide for the largest uppersepal, 3 mm in width for the other sepals.

[0049] Bud: (just before petals unfold)

[0050]Shape.—Elliptical.

[0051]Color (sepals).—Light green, RHS 143 A.

[0052]Color (petals).—Bluish-red, RHS 57 A.

[0053]Length.—17 mm.

[0054]Width.—10 mm.

[0055] Reproductive organs:

[0056]Androecium.—About 5 fertile anthers, filaments white, RHS 155 D,to light pink, RHS 66 D, moderate pollen, orange, RHS 30 A.

[0057]Gynoecium.—One pistil, style and stigma purple-red, RHS 66 B, 5 to6 lobed stigma.

[0058]Fertility/seed set.—Occasionally a few seeds are developed, Fruit:Oblong, about 5-6 mm in diameter, with rostrum (beak), total lengthabout 38-40 mm Seed: Oblong, 4-5 mm long, brown, RHS 177 B.

[0059]Spring flowering response period.—In Hillscheid, Germany, in 2000plants had on average 0.9 flowers opened 8 weeks after planting ofrooted cuttings.

[0060]Outdoor flower production.—Continuously flowering, the flowercount in 2000. in Hillscheid, Germany, indicated about 1.6 inflorescenceper plant in mid May.

[0061]Durability.—Good stability of flower color relatively good rainresistance.

[0062]Lastingness of the individual flower.—About 8-9 days at 18° C.,about 18 days for the umbel.

[0063]Pest/Disease Resistance/Susceptibility.—No observations to date.

[0064]Fragrance.—None.

[0065] Plant:

[0066]Foliage.—Shape: Kidney-shaped, with open, cordate base, andrelatively distinct lobes Margin: Bicrenated, distinctly wavy Texture:Upper surface smooth, velvety Size of leaf: 84 mm wide, 52 mm long Colorof upper surface: Medium green, approximately RHS 137 C Color ofzonation: Brown, about RHS 166 A Petioles: 40-50 mm long, 3 mm diameter,light green in color, approximately RHS 144 A

[0067]General appearance and form.—Stem color: Light green, RHS 144 BInternode length: About 1.0 mm Branching pattern: Average 6.4 branchesSize of plants: Height 30.2 cm, width 45.2 cm, as measured from the topof the soil (base of the main stem) to the surface of the foliage canopyinflorescences)

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of geranium plant named‘Fisromag’, as described and illustrated herein.